The Green Bay Packers on Friday released linebacker Brandon Chillar, raising questions about whether the NFL is being unfair to players who were injured while training during the lockout, Sporting News correspondent Tom Silverstein reported for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Chillar, who severely pulled a hamstring during personal workouts, was told that he had been let go. There was no way he was going to pass his physical, Silverstein reported, but the Packers could have put him on the physically unable to perform list if they thought he could come back from the injury.

Given that Chillar is coming off shoulder surgery, it's possible the combination of injuries made it likely he wouldn't play this year, and the Packers decided to move forward without him.

Chillar signed a four-year, $19 million contract that included $7 million over the first year in December 2009. He was due to make $2 million in base salary, $300,000 in a roster bonus and $300,000 in a workout bonus this year.

According to Silverstein, the Packers will gain all $2.6 million of Chillar's earning this year and will take a charge of $800,000 next year.

Through the release of linebacker Nick Barnett, end Justin Harrell, linebacker Brady Poppinga and Chillar, general manager Ted Thompson has sliced off $12.7 million from the Packers' salary cap. Those same cuts will cost him $2.48 million next year because of the pro-rated shares left over in each player's contract.

The Packers were right at the $120 million salary cap mark at the start of free agency.

Kicker Mason Crosby's deal will account for more cap money spent and so will each of the draft choices the Packers sign.